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New Leipzig man sentenced for Medicaid fraud

BISMARCK — A New Leipzig man was sentenced to six months probation Monday in a Medicaid fraud case.

Donald Hochhalter, 65, falsely understated his mother’s assets when filling out a Medicaid assistance application with the North Dakota Department of Human Services in February 2009, according to a release from North Dakota U.S. Attorney Tim Purdon’s office.

He pleaded guilty in January to a misdemeanor charge of making or causing to be made false statements related to Medicaid.

Hochhalter has paid full restitution of nearly $37,000 to North Dakota and the U.S. Treasury. The U.S. recovered an additional $37,121 under the federal False Claims Act.

“Medicaid is designed to help those in need. Because it is funded by a combination of federal and state funds, it is in everyone’s interest to prevent fraud and abuse of the system,” Purdon said in the release.